Pour boiling water on half a pound white ginger, and let it stand long enough to soften sufficiently to slice easily in thin pieces (retaining the shapes of the races as much as possible). Then boil it an hour in half a gallon water, and add one ounce mace and two pounds best cut sugar. This makes a thin syrup, in which boil the rind gently for half an hour, adding water to keep the rind covered with syrup.
Set the kettle away for four days and then boil again as before, adding two pounds sugar and more water, if necessary. Repeat the boiling six or seven times, till the syrup is rich and thick and sufficient to cover the rind.
The quantity of seasoning given above is for three gallons rind. Allow two pounds sugar to each pound fruit. This sweetmeat keeps indefinitely and never ferments.—Mrs. F. M. C.
Watermelon or Muskmelon Marmalade.
Weigh twelve pounds rind, previously soaked in brine, and the salt extracted by fresh water, parboil, put on with twelve pounds sugar made into a thin syrup, and boil to pieces. Add the peelings of twelve oranges and twelve lemons, previously soaked in water, cut in strips and boiled extremely soft, the water being changed three times while boiling. Stir constantly from the bottom with a batter-cake turner. Cook very thick. Put in wide-mouthed glass jars.—Mrs. S. T.
Ripe Muskmelon or Watermelon Preserves.
During the summer, peel and slice indifferent cantaleupes (such as you do not care to eat), especially such as are not quite ripe. Throw them into brine, together with your thickest watermelon rinds, peeling off the outside skin. When you have enough, weigh them, throw them in fresh water, which change daily till the salt is extracted. Boil in a preserving kettle till soft enough to pierce with a straw. Make a syrup, allowing one pound sugar for each pound fruit. When it boils, put the rind in it and simmer steadily till the rind is transparent and the syrup thick. When cool, add the juice and grated rind of twelve lemons. Let it stand in a bowl several days. Then strain the syrup (which will have become thin), boil it again, pour over the rind, and put the preserves in glass jars with screw tops.—Mrs. S. T.
Ripe Muskmelon Preserves.
Peel and slice the melons, soak them twenty-four hours in salt water, twenty-four hours in alum water, and twenty-four hours in fresh water, changing the latter several times. Then make a strong ginger tea, in which boil them slowly till they taste of ginger.
Make a syrup, allowing a pound and a half sugar to each pound fruit, and adding mace and sliced ginger (the latter must be soaked in boiling water twelve hours before it is wanted). Cook the melon in the syrup till clear and tender. You may use sliced lemons as a seasoning instead of ginger.—Mrs. R. L.